Garment carrier

ABSTRACT

A garment carrier is provided which includes a frame and a specifically configured garment bag which extends over the frame, and in which one or more suits may be hung, each on its own hanger. A feature of the garment carrier is a transverse handle portion which extends across the bottom of the frame, to be grasped by the hand of the carrier, so as to enable the frame and garment bag conveniently to be tucked under the arm when it is carried. Therefore, the purpose of the frame is twofold, in that it serves to stiffen and support the garment bag, and in addition it provides a convenient support for the suits carried within the bag, and a convenient handle for carrying the assembly.

lUnited States Patent 1,438,738 12/1922 Witbeck William E, Larson UNITED STATES PATENTS i90/4l B UX 1/1932 Bracken Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Warren T. Jessup ABSTRACT: A garment carrier is provided which includes a frame and a specifically configured garment bag which extends over the frame, and in which one or more suits may be hung, each on its own hanger. A feature of the garment carrier is a transverse handle portion which extends across the bottom of the frame, to be grasped by the hand of the carrier, so as to enable the frame and garment bag conveniently to be tucked under the arm when it is carried. Therefore, the purpose of the frame is twofold, in that it serves to stiffen and support the garment bag, and in addition it provides a convenient support for the suits carried within the bag, and a convenient handle for carrying the assembly.

cAnMl-:N'r CARRIER BACKGROU ND OF THE INVENTION This application is la continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 65|,l79 which was filed'luly 5, 1967, and now abandoned. A principal object of the invention is to pro vide a convenient garment carrier which is constructed and designed to hold one or more suits, each on its own hanger, for example, compactly and in a manner such that creasing of the garments is avoided. The structure is constructed to be easily carried, and it provides a convenient means for air travelers, for example, to pack one or more extra suits, and to carry them to their destination comfortably and conveniently and without rumpling or creasing.

It is the present day practice for many travelers to carry extra suits within a garmentbag on appropriate coat hangers. The garment bag is then draped and carried over the shoulder by the coat hangers themselves iny a somewhat tiring, awkward and uncomfortable manner. As mentioned above, the improved garment carer of the present invention is constructed to carry one or more suits and their hangers on a frame which is enclosed within a garment bag to provide rigidity. The reinforced garment bag of the invention is carried by tucking it under the arm, and then by grasping a rigid handle formed at the bottom of the frame. The frame itself has an adjustable hook, which may be drawn, when needed, through a hole in the top of the garment bag. The hook allows the garment bag, and the garments, and the frame tobe hung together as a single package, when they are not being carried.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved garment carrier of the invention includes a rigid frame having an arched top portion, and having a rigid lower portion. A rigid handle is formed on the lower portion of the frame to permit the assembly comfortably to be carried tucked under the arm of the traveler with his hand grasping the rigid handle. Means is provided on the frame for supporting one or more suits, these being supported, for example, on their own hangers. A specially designed gannent bag is provided which extends over the frame and which serves to enclose and protect the garments. An extensible hook assembly is provided in the arched top portion of the frame, so that the entire combination may be hung when not being carried.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a U-shaped frame constituting one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame, like FIG. I, and showing a suit supported within the frame and surrounded by a specially constructed garment bag;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 2 including the enclosing garment bag;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which a supporting hooklmay be mounted in the frame;

FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the assembly of FIGS. l-3 may be carried by a traveler;

FIG. 6 shows a rigid frame which may be used in a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows the assembly of the second embodiment, with the rigid frame of FIG. 6 being sewn into the garment bag;

FIG. 8 shows the manner in which a hook and bracket may be mounted on the upper part of the frame of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 shows the manner in which the assembly of FIG. 7 may be carried.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The garment carrier of the invention, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. I-S, includes a rigid U-shaped frame designated ll. The frame Il may be composed, for example, of metal, wood, plastic or other suitable material. The frame has an arched top portion 12a, and a pair of spaced and parallel side members 12b and 12e. A hook 13 is mounted in a slot in the top portion 12a of the frame, the hook being mounted in a depressed central section of the top portion so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the top portion when not in use, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4. The hook 13, as shown, is slidable in the plane of the U-shaped member l l.

A U-shaped clamp 14 is suspended from the underside of the depressed central section of the top portion 12a of the frame ll. The clamp I4 is capable of receiving the hooks of one or more.hangers, such as the hanger 16, so as to support the hangers from the frame ll. As shown in'FlG. 2, jackets and trousers vmay be hung on the hanger 16 supported by the clamp I4. It will be appreciated, of course, that other hangers containing other suits may similarly be hung on the clamp I4.

A frame ll also includes a cross bar I7 which extends between the lower ends of the sides 12b and 12C. A rigidv handle 18 is formed on the crossbar 17. The handle I8 protrudes out from the p'lane of the U-shaped frame 1l, and through a corresponding opening inthe garment bag 20, as shown in FIG. 3. f f

The garment bag 20 is specially constructed to fit over the frame l l yand extend down from the frame, as shown in FIG. 3, so as to enclose and protect the suits carried within the frame. The garment bag 20 has an opening at its upper end through which the hook 13 may be drawn, so that the entire assembly may be hung in a closet, for example, when not being carried. The bag 20 has a usual zipper (FIG. 3) which extends the length of the bag. I

When the assembly is carried, it is tucked under the arm, as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. The assembly is held in place at the side of the traveler, as shown in FIG. 5, by the hand grasping the handle 18.* The assembly shown in FIGS. 1-5 and described above provides a convenient package for the traveler, which enables him to carry one or more extra suits in a comfortable and convenient manner. As mentioned above, the assembly obviates the necessity of carrying the suits draped over the shoulder, or in other tiring or uncomfortable positions.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-8 is predicated on the same concepts as the previous embodiment, but has a simpler construction. The latter embodiment, for example, includes a frame having the shape shown in FIG. 6. The frame I00 may, for example, be formed of plywood, or other suitable material, and cut to the Illustrated shape. The upper edge of the frame 100 is arched, as in the previous embodiment. The lower edge of the frame serves as the rigid handle for the assembly, as will be described.

A hook 102 is coupled to the upper edge of the frame 100 by means, for example, of a chain 104 and a clip 106. A suitable bracket 108 for supporting the hangers for the suits may also be mounted on the clip 106, as shown. The clip I06 is fastened to the frame 100 in the arched top portion, and the chain 104 pennits the hook to be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the top portion when not in use.

The frame 100 is sewn into the lining of the garment bag 20, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 7. The lower edge of the frame may be grasped by the hand of the carrier, as shown in FIG. 9, as the hand is thrust through the opening in the garment bag.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that the construction of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-8 is generally similar to the previous embodiment, and yet it has certain advantages in that it is simpler and more inexpensive to construct.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable garment hanger including:

a rigid frame member having a U-shaped configuration with a pair of spaced sides and including a crossbar extending thereacross from one of said sides to the other, with a rigid handle being formed on said crossbar and protruding laterally out of the plane of said sides, said rigid frame member having an upper edge with an arched configuration and a depressed central section;

a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and said rigid handle permitting the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of said frame member tucked under the arm ofthe person.

2. A portable garment hanger including:

a rigid frame member having an upper edge, a pair of sides and a lower edge, said upper edge having an arched configuration and a depressed central section;

a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame member, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and the lower edge of said frame member providing a rigid handle to enable the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of said frame member tucked under the arm of the person; and including a garment bag extending down over said frame member and having an opening in the top edge thereof through which said hook member may protrude.

3. A portable garment hanger including:

a rigid frame member having an upper edge, a pair of sides and a lower edge, said upper edge having an arched cont'iguration and a depressed central section;

a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame member, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and the lower edge of said frame member providing a rigid handle to enable the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of the frame member tucked under the ann of the person; and including a garment bag extending down over said frame member and having an opening therein through which said handle may be grasped. 

1. A portable garment hanger including: a rigid frame member having a U-shaped configuration with a pair of spaced sides and including a crossbar extending thereacross from one of said sides to the other, with a rigid handle being formed on said crossbar and protruding laterally out of the plane of said sides, said rigid frame member having an upper edge with an arched configuration and a depressed central section; a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and said rigid handle permitting the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of said frame member tucked under the arm of the person.
 2. A portable garment hanger including: a rigid frame member having an upper edge, a pair of sides and a lower edge, said upper edge having an arched configuration and a depressed central section; a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame member, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and the lower edge of said frame member providing a rigid handle to enable the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of said frame member tucked under the arm of the person; and including a garment bag extending down over said frame member and having an opening in the top edge thereof through which said hook member may protrude.
 3. A portable garment hanger including: a rigid frame member having an upper edge, a pair of sides and a lower edge, said upper edge having an arched configuration and a depressed central section; a hook member mounted on said frame in position to extend beyond said upper edge of said frame member, said hook member being mounted in said depressed central section of said upper edge in a manner so that it may be retracted down below the level of the arch defined by the upper edge when not in use; and the lower edge of said frame member providing a rigid handle to enable the garment hanger to be grasped by the hand of a person with the upper edge of the frame member tucked under the arm of the person; and including a garment bag extending down over said frame member and having an opening therein through which said handle may be grasped. 